1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the storage of digital data signals. More particularly, one aspect of the invention concerns the storage of files along with embedded codes containing information useful in reconstructing a failed database that normally contains information about the files. Another aspect of the invention concerns database reconstruction using various information, including the embedded codes.
2. Description of the Related Art
The electronic management of data is central in this information era. Scientists and engineers have provided the necessary infrastructure for widespread public availability of an incredible volume of information. The internet is one chief example. In addition, the high-technology industry is continually achieving faster and more diverse methods for transmitting and receiving data. Some examples include satellite communications and the ever-increasing baud rates of commercially available computer modems.
With this information explosion, it is increasingly important for users to have some means for storing and conveniently managing their data. In this respect, the development of electronic data storage systems is more important than ever. And, engineers have squarely met the persistent challenge of customer demand by providing speedier and more reliable storage systems.
As an example, engineers at INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES.RTM. (IBM.RTM.) have developed various flexible systems called "storage management servers", designed to store and manage data for remotely located clients. One particular system is called the ADSTAR.TM. Distributed Storage Manager (ADSM.TM.) product. With the ADSM product, a central server is coupled to multiple client platforms and one or more administrators. The server provides storage, backup, retrieval, and other management functions for the server's clients.
Although the ADSM product includes some significant advances and also enjoys significant commercial success today, IBM has continually sought to improve the performance and efficiency of this and other data storage systems. One area of particular focus is the maintenance of information about clients' data. For this purpose, many storage systems maintain catalogs, directories, tables, and/or other database information.
On a positive note, such databases significantly boost the speed and reliability of their storage systems. However, strong reliance on information in these databases can make customers especially vulnerable to a potentially devastating database failure. Databases may be lost, for example, due to a storage device failure, corruption (such as media imperfection, software glitch, etc.), natural disaster, carelessness, and a variety of other reasons. In many cases, a database failure does not affect the underlying data, which is stored in a separate storage region or storage device. Despite the surviving integrity of the data itself, systems that are heavily reliant upon database information are nonetheless impotent to access that data.
Although some useful solutions have been proposed for these problems, IBM is nevertheless seeking better ways of addressing these problems to further improve the performance and the efficiency of its products to benefit its customers.